10 Best Museums in Singapore

Singapore is a captivating city with a wide range of entertainment options, and it is certainly worth taking advantage of those with a cultural flavour. In this article, you will find interesting museums that reflect the best of Southeast Asian history. Among endless possibilities, there is a building dedicated to the past of the Peranakan community, which was on the verge of disappearing and has been immortalised through interactive exhibitions.

Museums show us another perspective of the city, unfiltered and with hundreds of interesting stories on various topics. For example, you can enjoy unlimited ice cream tastings at the Singapore Ice Cream Museum, admire antique toys at the Toy Museum, and enjoy an augmented reality experience at the TrickEye Museum. As you can see, there are many to choose from, but if you want to enjoy the most entertaining, diverse, and culturally rich ones, then you have to stay until the end.

Madame Tussauds is a cultural gem that you can't miss. It's ideal for those who want to see wax figures of major historical figures and celebrities. Specifically, there are themed exhibits dedicated to music, entertainment, sports, K-Pop and politics, featuring prominent faces such as Marilyn Monroe, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and David Beckham, among others.

Here is a summary of some of the exhibits you can't miss:

• Star Experience: where you will feel like a superstar on a red carpet, surrounded by the most important figures in entertainment. Get ready to pose alongside your favourite artist and share it with your friends, thanks to the souvenir photo that is usually given at the end.
• Marvel 4D: an exciting experience that allows you to enter a 4D cinema, where unreleased works featuring beloved characters from this alternate world are screened.
• Singapore: an interactive area dedicated to local culture and history, with fun waxworks.
• Spirit Boat Ride: travel through the Singapore jungle and watch the local exotic plants come to life.
• VR Racing: a simulation game featuring intense curves, where you can put your most ingenious tricks into practice and compete against Lewis Hamilton himself. It can be enjoyed in groups for at least forty-five minutes, but there are usually age restrictions.

Details of interest

• Price: from £30 per person, but included in the best Singapore tourist cards such as the All Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass.
• Location: on Imbiah Road, one of the stations you can reach with tickets for the Sentosa cable car.
• Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 18:00.
• How to get there: the city is very well connected, so you can get there by car or public bus. You can also take the cable car from HarbourFront Tower II station to Sentosa station, or take advantage of the fact that it is a regular route for Singapore's best tourist buses.

The National Museum of Singapore is the oldest museum in the country, documenting local history from the 14th century to the present day. The visit can be done on your own, as its extensive collection is divided into five sections, making it easy to navigate. In addition, areas have been added in recent years that focus on traditional cuisine, fashion, cinema and photography.

Something that will particularly catch your eye is the diversity of ethnographic and archaeological objects. Among these is the famous 13th-century Singapore stone, whose age has earned it the title of national treasure. Most of the exhibitions are interactive and it can be a good destination if you plan to spend at least three days in Singapore.

Details of interest

• Price: from £10 per person, although it is also included in the Explorer Pass.
• Location: in Singapore's Civic District.
• Opening hours: open every day from 10:00 to 19:00.
• How to get there: the best option is to use the SBS Transit and SMRT public transport services. If you want to visit Singapore at night, the most convenient option is to use the night bus service provided by these companies.

Nothing can prepare you for the treasures you will see at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore, most of which are related to 9th-century shipwrecks. Its exhibitions take you on a journey through Singapore's ancient culture, with interactive activities. Slip into the past of this island, whose legacy includes pan-Asian treasures. These artefacts from different regions of Asia are preserved to rescue the culture from one generation to the next.

This museum specifically houses ancient musical instruments, textiles, works of art, religious books, Chinese ceramics and archaeological pieces. This makes it the most comprehensive of its kind in the region. It has three floors with art galleries and more than 1,300 artefacts from Asian communities. If you plan to purchase the All-Inclusive Pass, don't miss the opportunity to visit, as it is one of its top attractions.

Details of interest

• Price: from £13 per person.
• Location: in the Empress Place Building, overlooking the Singapore River.
• Opening hours: open every day from 10:00 to 19:00.
• How to get there: you can get there by public bus.

Singapore is a city attracted by art, where you can find multiple buildings with collections that are well worth seeing. The Marina Bay Art Museum is one of the most outstanding, as it hosts temporary exhibitions from other museums and presents sections on art, science and technology. It is the first of its kind in the world and is therefore considered a futuristic museum. You can find 4D exhibitions and LED-lit pools.

Some of the best activities in Singapore hidden in this museum are:

• New Eden: Science Fiction Mythologies Transformed: an exhibition that invites you into fantastical worlds through stories of science fiction and Asian mythology.
• Mars: The Red Mirror: summarises thousands of years through works of art and antiques, centred around the planet Mars.

Details of interest

• Price: from £6 per person. Please note that this is included in the Explorer Pass, so you can combine it with other attractions.
• Location: 10 Bayfront Avenue.
• Opening hours: open every day from 10:00 to 19:00.
• How to get there: the best way to get to both is by metro or bus.

Another must-see museum is the Peranakan Museum, which focuses on Peranakan culture. It is a fusion of Chinese and Malay traditions that can be seen in the exhibitions featuring colourful clothing, antique objects and photographs. It was created in 2008 in a former building dating from 1910, and each corridor displays the legacy of this community, which also adopted English and Dutch traditions.

In general, they were merchants, so their antiques revolve around this period. The reason this space was created was because this curious culture was practically disappearing without a trace.

Details of interest

• Price: from £8 per person.
• Location: on Armenian Street.
• Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 19:00, Fridays until 21:00.
• How to get there: the best way is to take a bus.

When talking about good flavours and temptations in Singapore, a visit to the Ice Cream Museum is definitely a must. It's a magical experience where you can enjoy unlimited tastings of ice cream from around the world with a variety of textures, flavours and toppings . What are you going to do? You'll probably learn about the history of ice cream through multi-sensory exhibitions.

It's definitely a must-see if you're looking for things to do in Singapore with children. There are areas for all ages, where you can bring out your inner child and share the experience with your family. For example, don't miss the fun in the chip pools, the pink forest, the unicorn playground and the huge snowball. In total, there are around 14 themed rooms that you can explore during your trip, while continuing with the ice cream tasting and joining interactive workshops.

Details of interest

• Price: from £31 per person.
• Location: in the trendy Dempsey Hill neighbourhood.
• Opening hours: Thursday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Mondays open until 6:00 p.m.
• How to get there: the cheapest and most convenient option is to take the public bus from wherever you are.

Trick Eye Museum is one of Singapore's most popular attractions, as its exhibits trick the eye and challenge your other senses. You can expect a fully interactive tour, where you'll encounter 4D optical illusions, special effects and augmented reality.

Specifically, the Trick Eye art movement uses two-dimensional paintings to create three-dimensional experiences in artistic universes that push your imagination to the limit. Of course, the installations are completely futuristic and adapt to the viewer's perspective. I recommend checking it out for yourself, as you can't miss the ecological garden and rainbow garden, the water areas, the fairy tale world, the rainforest exhibits and the space adventures.

Details of interest

• Price: from £20 per person.
• Location: in Sentosa, specifically on Siloso Street.
• Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 19:00.
• How to get there: the best option is by car or by Tower Transit Singapore bus.

A must-see is the Singapore Art Museum, whose contemporary works are fascinating. It promotes the development of local art and culture through Singaporean artists and others from Southeast Asia. In general, it includes sculptures, photographs and representations from China, India, Korea and Japan.

You will find around 7,000 pieces of art, as well as events throughout the year. If you plan to spend at least 3 days in Singapore, you can take advantage of this stop to attend cultural events with free admission.

Details of interest

• Price: starting at £24 per person.
• Location: on Keppel Road near the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.
• Opening hours: open every day from 10:00 to 19:00.
• How to get there: by metro or bus.

For a spine-chilling experience, head to Hell's Museum or Singapore's Hell Museum. If the name sends shivers down your spine, prepare yourself for what awaits inside. It is a journey through 10 interactive rooms exploring Chinese and Buddhist mythologies about death. You have probably wondered what happens when we leave this plane, and although there is no definitive answer, in this museum you can delve into how Asians perceive life and death.

You will also have the opportunity to immerse yourself in their views on sin, redemption and punishment. In its corridors, you will find audiovisual exhibitions, ancient burial crypts, replicas of Chinese altars and a typical traditional Chinese tomb. In addition, the themed rooms also explore the concept of hell from an Asian perspective. Please note that children under the age of 9 are not allowed, and it is advisable to bring an umbrella for one of the experiences.

Details of interest

• Price: from £13 per person.
• Location: on Pasir Panjang Road.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays and public holidays.
• How to get there: there are different options for getting to this museum, but the best way is to take the metro or one of the various bus routes that connect the city.

If you are looking for activities to do in Singapore with children, then you have to stop at the Toy Museum or MINT Museum of Toys. Founded in 2007, it is the largest of its kind in Asia, with more than 50,000 toys, including collectibles. Most have been collected from 40 countries, so during your tour you may see something that catches your eye and evokes a feeling of nostalgia.

Most of the toys date from between 1840 and 1980, so you can see old biscuit tins, novels and comics, newspaper archives, vinyl records, film posters, collectible board games, collectible cars and an endless list of toys. To make your visit easier, they are divided into four rooms: outdoor space, characters, childhood favourites and collectibles.

Among the most prized objects in this collection is the only Mekon mask by Dan Dare that exists, belonging to a British comic book. You can also see the doll of Alice Liddell, the girl who was the inspiration for the character of 'Alice' in Wonderland.

Details of interest

• Price: from £25 per person.
• Location: Seah St.
• Opening hours: open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., closed on Mondays.
• How to get there: you can walk, drive or take the public bus.